


A Liar's Truth

by wonderwomaneering



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Mentions of past abuse, Mild Gore, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-12 23:46:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1204954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderwomaneering/pseuds/wonderwomaneering
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isaac has a secret. He's in love with two of his best friends. So are Allison and Scott, but when a new creature that is drawn to lies comes to Beacon Hills, it takes a special interest in Isaac.</p><p>For Teen Wolf Polyamory Week on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Unrated because the violence doesn't really warrant M, but it may not be T, if you are squeamish about gore.
> 
> Unbeta'd.

Allison had a pointed look on her face when Scott sat down beside her in Math class – and it was directed at him. Not even a hello then?

“What?” She sighed.

 

“Talk to Isaac lately?” she asked in forced neutrality.

“Um, we live together we kind of talk every day.”

“Say anything special?” Something about her tone made Scott feel like he messed up, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

“No, like what?”

“Like ' _Stay away from Allison_ '?”

 

“What, no! I'd never say that. If you wanted him away from you, you can say so yourself.” She slammed her math book close.

 

“Exactly. So why does he show up at my house yesterday, so out of it _he rings the doorbell_ _–_ he never does that – and yammers on about how he'll leave me alone?”

 

“I – ah ...” Scott felt the shame burning in his gut. He had lost control when he pushed Isaac – twice. Vile anger had surged in him at the thought of those two together. He wanted to blame the lingering effects of his death, but he knew he would only be lying to himself.

 

“So I'm not misguiding my anger here.” Allison concluded from his silence. That's when the teacher came in and put Scott into an hour-long period of self-hating misery. He wanted to blame the lingering effects of his death but he knew there was more to it.

 

During break he saw Isaac in the hall.

“Can we talk?” he whispered, knowing that Isaac's werewolf hearing would pick it up. Isaac turned to him and Scott swore he could see his lower lip trembling, just for a second – and if that doesn't make him feel a million times worse. Then he shakes his head and hurried off.

 

The rest of the day is passing miserably slow and his dread and anticipation grow, peaking when he drives his bike onto the porch. Isaac's in his room doing homework when Scott knocks and enters. Isaac sits up. His posture immediately stiffens and it's a jab in Scott's heart.

 

“Please can we talk?” Scott pleads and Isaac nodded but shied away from meeting his eyes. Scott sat down on the bed and fumbled at his sweater for a bit.

 

“I want you to know that I am really sorry for what I did. It was wrong and I'm ashamed of myself.”

 

“It's okay, really.” Isaac bit out, still not looking at him. “I overstepped.” Scott shook his head. “It doesn't matter what you did – and you didn't do anything – it's all my fault and I'm sorry.”

 

“Did Allison put you up to this?”

“No, not really. But she told me that you went to her yesterday and I kind of put the rest together myself.”

“Yeah well, it was a bad idea anyway. I mean, me and her. I don't wanna be chased down by her father so yeah … you kind of had a point.”

 

Something about Isaac's words, the dejected look in his eyes, made it clear that he messed up badly. And he really just wanted them to be okay and to hug it out but he knew that this was not something that could be hugged away. Words were not going to cut it here.

 

“So we good?” he tried.

“Yeah, of course.” Scott wasn't convinced but there was nothing he could do without risking Isaac's annoyance. He had gotten himself into this and he would have to get himself out somehow. Scott nodded and trailed out of the room.

 

When he'd closed the door behind him, Isaac took a deep breath and buried his face in his hands. The truth was, Scott throwing him at the wall was the last straw in a long list of reasons why he should stop seeing Allison. But in the end they all mounted up to he would ruin it and then they would both hate him. If anything, he should thank Scott for that push. He'd needed it to finally see clearly. For a moment he had allowed himself to indulge into the fantasy, the possibility that maybe Allison would be with him. But not if it meant loosing Scott.

 

He needed to get out of here and be somewhere that was anywhere but in the proximity of Scott – or Allison, for that matter. He threw open his bedroom window and leaped into the cold night.

 

The cold attacked his cheeks and he regretted not throwing on a sweater but he wasn't going to go back. After a while he realized he had inadvertently started walking into the direction of Allison's house. As a matter of fact he was already in her street.

 

He turned on his heels and turned right into a small street he'd never taken before, keeping his eyes down and walking briskly. Soon he was immersed by total darkness. He didn't know for how long he'd been walking but his arms were frozen enough to presume it must have been at least half an hour.

 

He looked up and saw that he stood in the middle of a park. The dark was breached by a lone light streaming out a single lantern. The hairs on the back of his neck stood when he heard his name called out.

 

_Isaac._ There it was again. The voice was echoing off everything, vibrating in his supernatural hearing.

 

_You were a bad boy. A liar._

 

His head flew around but the voice seemed to come from empty air. He felt an icy presence behind him, a breath grazed his neck.

“Do you know what happens to bad boys?” the voice rasped into his ear. Isaac turned. He faced a red bleeding face, torn skin hanging off the flesh.

 

“They get eaten.”

 

A bony hand gripped his wrist and the creature showed his bleeding rotten teeth. Isaac threw his fist at the chest. The ribs gave an ugly crunch yet the creature didn't even flinch. The monster twisted his hand. His wrist broke and he screamed, falling down to his knees. Isaac felt his fangs and claws retreat he saw that the creature was holding a scraped bone, lifting it above his head to strike him down.

 

He pulled himself up by his wrecked arm and kicked the creature's legs from under him and ran like hell. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he did not see if he was being followed, yet he wouldn't take his chances. By the time he reached the McCall's house, his blood was pumping.

 

He jumped the fence and crashed into Melissa . They both tumbled down, he on top of her. He screamed when he fell on his broken hand.

 

He rolled off her and for a moment the pain had him trembling so hard he could not apologize. He pressed his eyes closed as tears welled up and he felt hands on his shoulders.

“Isaac? Oh my god, Isaac what happened to you?”

 

“I … was attacked. I … ” He looked around, behind him, to make sure it wasn't still there.

 

“Let me get you to the hospital, you're bleeding.” Melissa grabbed his arm, tried to pull him up, but Isaac felt like a bag of wet sand.

 

“No! No I'm … it's not my blood. I – you'll be late for work.”

“You silly boy. Come on, get up.”

 

Isaac shook his head. “I can't. I don't want to go to a hospital. I will be fine, it'll heal.” Melissa made a disapproving face but Isaac supposed he looked pitiful enough to make her comply.

“Let me at least set the bone so it'll heal properly. I'll just call the hospital and let them know I'll be a little late. – and that's my final offer.” Isaac nodded and struggled to his feet, let her help get him up and into the house.

 

“I'm sorry for running into you like that.” he said from the couch when she returned from her call, first aud kid in hand. She huffed and sat down beside him. He was furiously biting his lip to keep himself from crying. He'd had a shit day but that episode in the park just took the cake.

 

“You looked terrified enough to assume you had a very good reason. And that's before the blood and your arm. Okay, this is going to hurt now.” He grit his teeth and prepared himself. Pain shot through him as the bones already healing broke anew. He succeeded in limiting his cries to a few muffled whines.

 

“It's okay, Isaac. It's over.” Melissa whispered and pulled him close. He must look more wrecked than he realized but leaned against her nonetheless. “What's the matter with you? You've been acting weird these past few days. You're jumpy, you're tense, what happened?”

 

“All I do is mess things up.” he replied. Melissa eyed him, cleaning his face of the remaining blood.

 

“Do you want to talk to me about it?” He shook his head. “Then maybe talk to Scott?” A pained expression crossed his face and it wasn't because of his wrist this time. In fact that was already starting to heal, he could tell by the itching.

“Do I need to talk to Scott?” Melissa asked with a hint of exasperation that said _Teenage boys_. Isaac shook his head.

 

“No, I need to … get over some stuff. It was all my fault.” She looks at him like she didn't believe him, put didn't push. Instead she touched his cheek and gave him a smile.

 

“I need to leave now. You take one of these.” She handed him a blister of painkillers. “And go to sleep. Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

 

***

 

“Well, you've truly gone and messed up. Sounds like he's afraid of you.” Scott's shoulders sank even lower. He sat on the bed in Allison's room, tugging at her bed cover. Allison almost pitied him. But in this she would side with Isaac.

Although Scott looked positively pitiful.

“So what do I do?” She sighed.

“Be his friend. His alpha. Show him that it was a singular incident, don't just tell him. This is hard for anyone, but Isaac? You physically attacked him. I don't need to spell this out for you, do I?”

 

He slowly nodded. This he got without the cliffnotes. Messed up, in capital letters. Allison draped an arm around his back. “And I will talk to him, too.”

 

“Maybe you will reach him.”

 

“Just for the record. There is absolutely no hard feelings from you? About me and him?” Scott avoided her look.

“It doesn't matter. You don't want me and I'm in the wrong here.” Allison hesitated. She'd been toying with a thought, ever since she had gotten close to Isaac. In the beginning, she was hoping eventually she would get over Scott, but no suck luck.

 

“And what if I still did?” Scott looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes before he shook his head. “Then this just became a million times worse.” She had a lopsided smile on her face.

“Or maybe not.” Scott's face was scrunched up in confusion.

 

“Never mind. Anyway.” she continued, when Scott's penny didn't drop. She had meant it as a joke but her voice had failed to deliver that. “Not that I'm not enjoying your grovelling, but cheer up. It will be okay. Isaac likes you.” Scott made a contemplative face before shaking his head.

 

“Yeah, well, that sort of makes it worse. I've totally betrayed his trust. And just because – ” he stopped, nearly bit his tongue off to stop talking. His love for her Allison could probably handle. That he'd gone and done the stupid thing and fell in love with Isaac on top of that may be too much. Especially because he himself didn't know how he felt about that.

 

Scott's phone rang. “Wait a sec, that's my mum, I gotta take this. Hey, what's up?” Allison saw how Scott's face fell as Melissa talked though she damned her human hearing, she couldn't hear a thing.

 

“What?! Is he okay?” She couldn't bear this. She pressed her ear against Scott's phone so she could hear Melissa's distorted voice.

 

“Define okay. His arm is – probably was – broken and he was pretty shaken, there was blood, not his, though but he didn't talk to me at all and I have to leave for work so maybe you could look after him. He hasn't even told me who – or what – it was. I don't want him to be alone tonight.”

 

“Yeah. Yeah, I'll be there in a sec. See you tomorrow, love you.”

“Love you too.” When the phone clicked to signal that Melissa had hung up, Scott was already halfway out of the door with Allison trailing behind.

“I'm sorry, I gotta run.”

 

“Yeah I heard, um. Can I come?” Scott stopped.

“”Do you want to?”

“Yeah. I mean, he's still a little on edge around you.” Scott hesitated for a moment. Having them both around him almost seemed like a recipe for disaster. But he missed hanging out with them both. He missed the way things were before they got so crazy complicated.

 

“You know what, maybe we should talk to him together.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In two parts, because my internet is not letting me post anything longer than 4000 words at once. Not cool.

He slept fitfully, sweating and tossing. He'd thrown his blanket off hours ago.

 _Isaac_ was the whispered word that tore him out of his light sleep. He sat upright. That voice.

 

 _Isaaaac_ it drawled. It was back. An icy wind let the hairs of his arm stand up and then the voice roared again.

 

“Liar.”

 

He punched on the light on his nightstand. There it stood in the middle of his room, laughing with its shredded mouth. He screamed and it turned into a growl and he lunged. He came right up to the creature's torn and bloody face and punched right at it.

 

The door flew open and Scott and Allison stormed into the room. The creature ran Isaac over and crashed through the window. Scott knelt next to him immediately, Allison went to the window but didn't see anything fleeing. “Dammit, it's gone.”

 

“Isaac, are you okay?” Scott's voice was shaken and he cradled Isaac's fist. The bone had not yet healed and the new punch had strained it.

“I'm okay. Nothing happened.” he panted but leaned into Scott anyway, his face scrunched up in pain.

 

“What was that?” Allison crouched down beside them and took Isaac's bloodied hand. “This isn't your blood. Where did it come from?”

 

“The- the thing. Its face is bleeding, it looks pretty messed up. It's where I got the blood from earlier.”

“So this was the thing that attacked you earlier?” Scott asked. “Mom called.” he explained at Isaac's confused face. “That's why we're here. We were over in my room, watching a movie, waiting for you to get up.”

“Watching over you, so to speak.” Allison said, tentatively pulling him into a hug. Isaac leaned his head against her shoulder. “I'm glad you are.” Isaac said. “That thing is freakish.”

 

“I guess this is the part where we start research.” Allison interjected, holding out the USB-stick containing their family's collected knowledge. “But in Scott's room please.” She shivered as a cold breeze drifted into the bedroom.

 

Allison was browsing through the files with Isaac sitting at the foot of the bed fidgeting. “So, slashed face, skeletal body, found you in a park, creepy voice – anything else?”

 

“Ah, yeah, he kept calling me a liar and told me I was a bad boy.”

“Not ruling out Santa Claus then.” Allison mumbled, flipping through the pages on the screen.

 

“And he said he was going to eat me.”

“Nice. Cannibalistic Santa, then.”

“I think you only call it cannibalism if both are the same species.” Allison threw him a glare over Scott's laptop.

 

“So are you then?”

“What?”

“A liar.” His breath caught in his throat.

“Well, aren't we all from time to time?” he sidestepped.

“Yes, I guess so. But we don't all get attacked by a cannibalistic Santa.”

 

“Maybe it just likes me.” Isaac was shifting uncomfortably on the bed. Allison rolled her eyes. “You're the opposite of help.” He just shrugged.

 

“I'm only asking because I may be personally concerned. You said some things I'd very much like to be a lie, you know.” Isaac said nothing. He just tore threads from the cuffs of his sweater, staring intently not at Allison.”

 

“I meant what I said.” His voice was hoarse and he was looking anywhere but at her.

 

“I don't think we should … you know.” Allison nodded, not believing him, not even a bit. But she wasn't going to push him. She knew he was crazy about her and yet there was part of the puzzle she didn't know about. She had only guessed. And maybe fantasized about it. A little bit. She was walking a dangerous road here and she knew it. She knew Scott and Isaac were close – recent events aside – but the things she had thought about were _different._

 

“Okay then. If you say that.”

 

“It's not about you. It's me I'm …” He let the sentence hang in the air. Partially because he didn't want to hear himself say it out loud. He tugged at his hair. So yeah, she was positive there was something he wasn't telling. And if it was big enough to set some kind of karmic skeleton after him, it was not nothing.

 

“It's okay, really. It's just, Scott and I were talking. If he really isn't the reason you're staying away, then okay, but otherwise – I am open to discussing possibilities.” She observed his face closely, to see any sort of clue pop up.

 

Isaac's thoughts raced. This wasn't going the direction he wanted. He had been taking steps away from Allison on purpose. But this was almost too tempting.

 

No.

 

He had reached a decision. He would not do that. He would inadvertently end up alienating one or both of them. Or worse – loose them completely.

 

“That's a bad idea. I'm not … I'll mess it up, I know. I can't …” She was looking at him. With those big eyes and Isaac thought, what if she gets it? What if she understands? She loved Scott, too. Once and maybe still. He shook his head. He was an idiot. He'd be the luckiest man alive, luckier than he deserved, if one of them would love him but to want both of them? No.

 

Scott came into the awkward silence with an arm full of pillows. “I readied the couch. In the meantime these are for being cozy while researching. You find anything yet?”

 

“Not yet.” Scott flopped down between them on the bed giving Allison a glance. She looked pretty beaten. “You need a break? The sun's almost up.”

 

“If I take a break now, I will fall asleep.”

“Then do. Isaac and I can take over for a bit.”

“That sounds fantastic actually.” Allison handed him the laptop and read for one of the blankets. She laid her head down on Scott's pillow and her face slacked almost immediately. Isaac caught himself watching her and unfortunately, so did Scott.

 

“I meant it when I said it's okay. You and her, I mean.” he said, skimming through the bestiary.

“Would you two please stop? I'm capable of making my own decisions.” Isaac was getting annoyed. When he'd gone to Allison's house the general idea was to put an end to all this. Yet neither of them could just _let it go_ already.

 

“Sorry. I just want you to be happy.”

“Yeah well. That's not gonna work.” Scott froze and turned his head. “Never mind. It's late and I'm babbling.”

 

“What would make you happy?” Scott asks and the honesty in his eyes breaks Isaac. He hesitates. The answer is on the tip of his tongue. You. Allison. But instead he says: “I don't know.”

 

 _Liar_ , he hears that horrible voice echoing in his head. He blinked heavily and let his head fall back against the wall slowly dozing off. Scott smiled at him when he noticed Isaac had fallen asleep. He looked over to where Allison was sleeping, rolled up at the head of the bed.

 

Maybe it was the middle-of-the night thing, or the one-of-them-nearly-died-again but he thought maybe, just maybe, their lives were crazy enough for this to work just fine.

 

Isaac woke to the smell of coffee and Scott.

“Come on guys, wake up. I found something.” Isaac groaned and turned his head. His nose and his lips brushed warm skin. His eyes flew open.

 

He was leaning against Scott, who was just blinking back into consciousness. Isaac bolted upright and turned to Allison who sat beside them, computer on her lap, three cups of coffee on the bedside table. She was smiling at him and Isaac suspected it didn't have anything to do with her discovery. She was much to focused on them for that.

 

“What is it?” Scott yawned and stretched. She tore her gaze from them and took the laptop in her hands to show them something.

“Not much. But here's a small paragraph about a ghost story. Mostly told in the Southwest, and parts of England” Isaac's eyes widened as he saw the picture in the corner. “I'll take that as a yes then.” Allison said and turned the laptop away from them. Scott still rubbed his eyes.

 

“So what is it?”

“It's called a Rawhead or Bloody Bones. It's a creature that punishes bad children.”

 

“For what?”

“The usual. Telling lies. Disobedience. He eats them and I quote – ' _sits on a pile of their bones in dark places_ '. There's a pretty cryptic passage here about nesting close to an intended victim and luring it there. That's not what happened to you though?”

 

“I've never been in that park before.”

She zoomed in but it seemed to be the usual medieval decorative prose more than actual help when hunting one down.

 

“There's a handwritten scribble here saying that it actually feeds of guilt more than flesh?” Uncomfortable silence. That explained why it's going after Isaac, at least.

 

“Charming. So how do we kill it?” Isaac's jaw relaxed when Scott broke the silence.

 

“That's the thing, it doesn't say here. It's just a note that this thing might exist. No one in my family ever killed one, apparently. Though behaving yourself is an idea.” She smiled at Isaac, but the werewolf just dropped his head and scrambled off the bed.

 

“Isaac, I didn't mean – ”

“I'm just going to the bathroom.” he said to cut her off.

 

Ten minutes later Scott found him perched on his bed with the nicest view of the sunrise through his thrashed wall. “This is not the bathroom.”

“Do tell.” he replied, not turning to look at him.

“So I take it you know why it's after you.” Isaac sighed.

“Yeah. Because it can't mind his own business.”

 

“Technically, I think this is his business.” He gave Scott an exasperated look. “Sorry.” He sat down beside Isaac. “So you absolutely can't tell me?” Isaac gave a snort.

 

“Believe it or not I actually don't like lying and would not lie unless I really had to.”

“Yeah, but is that because it is actually horrible? Or because you are beating yourself up again because you think there is something -- anything -- you could say or do that'd make me abandon you?”

“It's maybe both.”

“So try me. See if I care.” Isaac laughed bitterly. “Nice try. But I won't fall for it.”

 

“Okay. Then we find a way to kill this beast.” Isaac let out a breath he'd been holding and sank back against the wall. “Just one thing.” He tensed again.

 

“This have anything to do with – you know – you not being happy?”

“I'd rather not say.”

“Because you would have to lie?”

 

“Maybe.” Scott chuckled. “Well then never mind. Let's not tempt fate.” Then he put his hand on Isaac's shoulder.

 

“Though I wish you would trust me. I know I messed up and – don't start again with the ' _it doesn't matter_ ' – I know it does and you have every right to be pissed. But I will be here for you, okay? I'm your alpha and I will protect you.” Isaac nodded slowly. Scott had to be careful, he thought. Not long Isaac might actually start believing him.

 

That evening they had Stiles set onto further research and patched up Isaac's bedroom window with a lot of tape and hope. They would head out to that park, and do something really stupid – unless Stiles had found something else.

 

Scott stood in the kitchen doing the dishes, wondering how he should break the subject with his mother.

 

He hadn't seriously thought about that little crush he's had on Isaac for a while now, not since Isaac had shown interest in Allison -- and boy had that hurt. But last night when the beta had fallen asleep on his shoulder with Allison right beside him he'd had to admit that this was where he'd want to be every day.

 

He still loved Allison, he never could not. But that he had more than friendly, brotherly feelings for Isaac was not something he could ignore any longer. Especially considering his rage at their tentative steps towards a relationship.

 

“Have you ever been in love with two people?” he finally crashed into the conversation, doorknob and door still in hand. Melissa looked up from her book.

 

“That's a bit of a personal question. Why do you ask?”

 

“Because I sort of think I might be and I was hoping I'm not … weird or anything.”

“Scott, honey. Love isn't weird.”

 

“But it makes things weird. I'm making things weird.”

“Yeah, but that's you, not love.” He laughed.

“Thanks a lot, mum.”He finished the dishes in silence, painfully aware of the look his mother never took of him. But she didn't say anything anymore. When he'd finished putting everything away, it was almost time to meet Allison and Stiles. He was almost out of the kitchen before he stopped again.

 

“But I mean, it's just – It's not going to work if it's three people, right?” Melissa shrugged.

“Not with that attitude.” Scott smiled, stood awkwardly between sink and kitchen door, thinking. Then he nodded and went upstairs, determined to at least get an idea of how Isaac would feel about dating him. Then he'd see about Allison.

 

He knocked, but got no answer. He looked at the clock. They were supposed to meet Allison in like ten minutes. Where could he have gone?

 

A strange sense of dread crept over him. He opened the door.

“Isaac?” he tried but got no answer. The wind crept into the room, rattling the curtains, turning his skin into goosebumps. The door to Isaac's cupboard stood slightly ajar. Scott knew that it was just a very small one, tiny, not a walk-in closet.

 

And yet.

 

There was a pale light coming from the bottom. His throat closed up and he walked over, opening the creaking door.

 

A small path led down a dimly lit tunnel.

 

What had Allison said about nesting again? He should text her, let her know that –

 

A pained scream tore him from his phone – Isaac. An ugly crunch followed. Scott ran. The path ended in a tiny little cavern.

 

The Rawhead stood there, his bleeding teeth sunk into Isaac's wrist, the beta kneeling on the floor littered with bones. Scott roared and lunged forward, is claws piercing the long dirty coat. He grabbed an arm and twisted the creature. It let go of Isaac who fell to the floor with a whine.

Scott pushed it against the wall, ripping at his arm – and hearing it tear from its body.

 

Recovering from his momentary shock, Scott seized this weakness pressing one leg against the wall and tore the torso away from it.

 

The Rawhead gave a shrieking howl and fell to the floor, one leg short. Scott hastened after him, jumping on him with spread legs tearing at the head. It gave way and he threw it onto a pile of bones. Panting, Scott scrambled to his feet and ran over to Isaac. The beta was still bleeding profusely from his wrist and terror was written all over his face. Scott grabbed him and pulled him close.

 

“Isaac, are you okay?” He nodded. “Yeah, I don't know what happened. I was in my room and then this door opened. And I – I just couldn't resist. I don't know how I got here.”

 

“It's okay, I'm here now.” Scott pulled him into a hug. For a moment he caught his breath, then he let go. “I guess we can tell Allison we won't be needing her tonight.”

But Isaac wasn't looking at him. His eyes were widened in shock and . Bony hands grabbed Scott's shoulders and threw him across the room. He clattered into a pile of bones and slipped when he tried to get up. He saw the Rawhead up and alive again. The body he'd maimed still lay at the other end of the cavern, wrapped in the dirty coat. This one was bare and made of ill-fitting bones crunching together as it moved. Legs of different length, an animal skull, with long bony claws it stalked over to Isaac, limping.

 

“The guilt is thick in your veins.” It hissed and bowed down over Isaac. “I will feast on your flesh and make your bones my own.”

Isaac growled and flew at him, his claws piercing into the sparse flesh of the skull. It hit the wall with a crunch and splintered. It clattered to the floor in pieces.

 

The bones under Scott's leg shook. The heaviest of them wrapped around his legs, keeping him down. Then long chains of bone wrapped around his chest, immobilizing him completely.

 

“Well.” The dislocated voice rang through the cave and in Isaac's ear. “Now, we can talk. Do you have anything to say to your friend, Isaac?”

 

“Please,” Isaac choked. “please let him go. I'll stay.”

 

“No! Leave, get Allison!” Scott had to fight to free his lungs enough to get even this out. He was not going to have Isaac stay behind. He was the alpha. He would protect his friends.

 

“I'm not leaving you alone here! I – ” Isaac's lip quivered. “I lied to you. And to Allison.” The creature's grip slacked a little.

 

Scott saw the determination in Isaac's chin harden. “I did want to go out with her. But I didn't. Because I love you as well. I know it's foolish and impossible, but I do, I can't help it. I'm sorry.”

 

“It's okay, Isaac. I understand. I – I love you, too.” Isaac stared at him, dumbfounded. Scott smiled.

 

“Are you expecting me to be defeated because you declare your undying love?” The Rawhead whispered. “I do not care, Isaac, your flesh is still soaked in lies – and guilt. But first I will kill your friend – and it will be all your fault.”

 

“Like hell you are.” Both Scott and Isaac were never more relieved to hear Allison's voice. Like the warrior she was she stepped into the clearing, right hand clutched around something round. The Rawhead hissed and tightened his grip.

 

Allison moved to ignite the fuse from the ball she had been holding.

 

A blinding light and a horrifying screech later Scott tumbled down and hit the floor. He heard Isaac groan as he landed on top of him. Next came a swath of hair and – dammit – Allison. He gave a groan when she landed on top of him. He took a deep breath and looked around.

 

“Where are we?” Scott's head hurt and he laid back against the wall.

“The cupboard, I presume.” Allison kneed him in the stomach as she tried to get off him. He groaned.“Sorry.”

 

“What the hell was that?” Isaac's mouth must be damn close to his face, Scott thought as the other werewolf talked. “A homemade grenade filled with anemone. Stiles found it in a journal, published in some obscure forum online. I would have gotten here sooner but I couldn't get him to stop making 'Holy Hand Grenade' jokes.”

 

“I kind of liked the time you got here.” Scott was grinning like an idiot and he knew it.

“Yeah, me too.” Allison almost felt Isaac blush. “And for the record, me too.”

 

“Guys, we don't need to – what?” They both felt Isaac tense beneath him. They were joking, playing some elaborate prank on them, Isaac thought.

 

“I love you too, you idiots.” She moved back over Scott to pull them both into a hug. She pressed a kiss on their cheeks. Isaac pulled her close and buried his face in her neck. Scott laid his hand around Isaac's waist, leaning his forehead against Isaac's.

 

A loud rattling drove them apart as bright light flooded the closet and Stiles hovered over them.

 

“Hey hey, did it work – oh, are we doing a group hug?”

 

They all groaned as Stiles flung his arms around them, bringing down a swath of clothing with him.


End file.
